Southmead School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Southmead School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Southmead enjoy coming to school and feel safe there.

Pupils feel valued. They say that there are always staff who can help them. Leaders welcome pupils into school every day at the gate.

Parents feel happy to talk to leaders and get any help that they need.

Pupils behave very well. The school is calm and well ordered.

Low-level disruption is rare. If it does occur, teachers deal with it quickly so that it does not impact on learning. Pupils state that bullying does not occur.

They are confident that staff would listen to them and sort out any problem...s.

Staff and pupils promote the school's values of respect, equality, self-confidence, perseverance, enjoyment, curiosity and trust. These values shine through in pupils' experience of school.

Staff have high expectations. Pupils value the way staff reward positive behaviours individually and for their house teams.

Pupils enjoy a range of wider experiences, such as trips and hands-on activities, that staff provide for them.

They say these help them to learn well.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. They have designed a broad curriculum.

In most subjects, leaders have identified small steps of learning and pupils build their knowledge of subjects well.

Leaders have invested in the teaching of reading. Staff training means that teachers' subject knowledge is strong.

Children start to learn to read as soon as they begin school in Reception. They quickly learn the sounds letters make and practise reading regularly. A small number of pupils have gaps in their phonic knowledge.

These pupils find it harder to keep up in their classes. While support is in place for these pupils, some have books that are not well matched to their knowledge. This makes it hard for them to read fluently.

Leaders do all they can to help pupils love reading. Teachers encourage reading through reading-for-pleasure sessions and library visits. The school has recently taken delivery of a large red bus which is to become a reading hub.

Staff provide opportunities for pupils to recall and recap their learning. Pupils find that these activities help them to remember knowledge.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

These pupils are included in all parts of school life and achieve well. Staff quickly identify those pupils who need additional help. They provide them with good support in class.

Leaders work with outside agencies effectively to ensure pupils' needs are met.

Pupils understand that learning is important. They concentrate and try hard in lessons.

They relate the school's values to their learning. Pupils learn about respect and the value of diversity. They learn about the wider world through the range of opportunities the school provides.

For example, pupils visit different places of worship so that they can learn more about different beliefs and faiths.

Leaders are highly supportive. Staff are positive about working at the school.

Staff say that leaders do all that they can to minimise unnecessary workload. They are proud to be part of the school community. Governors have a good understanding of their role and the school.

They use focused visits to provide effective support and challenge to school leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are vigilant for pupils' safety.

They make all necessary checks on adults who work in school. Staff understand the school's systems and know that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. Staff and governors have regular effective training.

They know the signs to look out for and act quickly when worried about pupils. Leaders provide support to the high number of families joining and leaving the school.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online.

They understand what healthy relationships are and have trusted adults to talk to if they are worried about their safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils who have historical gaps in their phonic knowledge do not always receive teaching targeted to the sounds they need to know next. Sometimes they have books to practise their reading that contain sounds that they do not know.

As a result, they do not gain fluency and read at the level they should. Leaders need to make sure that the curriculum for phonics is always implemented effectively and that pupils' reading books match the sounds these pupils need to know and remember next.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.